Understanding Musical Notation: Staff, Clefs, and Dynamics Explained

1. Notation

2. The Staff A set of five horizontal lines and four spaces, on which note symbols are placed to indicate their pitch.

3. Letter Names *The pitches are referred to by the first seven letters of the alphabet

4. Clefs • A clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of a line of music that establishes the letter names of the lines and spaces of the staff *Treble Clef *Bass Clef *C Clef

5. Treble Clef a.k.a the G clef f b g a c d e f Lines = Every Good Boy Does Fine Space= FACE

6. Bass Clef • a.k.a the F clef Lines = Great Big Dogs Fight Animals Space= All Cows Eat Grass

7. Leger Lines • Go beyond the limit of the staff

8. C Clef The C clefs are a set of movable clefs that designate middle c Where the “intendish” part is, that’s middle C

9. Octave Identification • Alternate system of octave identification: Each octave is numbered beginning with A0 for the lowest 3 notes on the piano extending go C8 for the highest note <- Standard

10. Accidentals • Symbols that are placed to the left of the note heads to indicate the raising or lowering of a pitch # : Sharp – raises pitch by a half step : Flat – lowers pitch by a half step : Natural – cancels previous accidental : Double Flat- lowers pitch 2 half steps : Double Sharp – raises pitch 2 half steps

11. Intervals • The relationship between two tones • ½ is the smallest • Count the note you start on and the one you finish on • Take the key you’re in into consideration Ex. The interval between C and E is a major third The interval between A and F is a minor sixth

12. Enharmonic Equivalents • Tones that have the same pitch but different names • ex. F and E# • C# and Db

13. Notation Duration

14. The Tie • A curved line that connects two adjacent notes of the same pitch into a single sound with a duration equal to the sum of both note values

15. The Dot • A dot lengthens the note by half its value • A double dot lengthens the note by half the value of the second dot

16. Meter • Recurring patterns of strong and weak beats • Indicated by meter signature (Time Signature) • Top number = number of beats in a measure • *Bottom number = what type of note gets one beat The C stands for common time which means 4/4

17. Compound Meter • Each pulse is a dotted note which is divided into groups of three parts. 6/8 , 9/8, 12/8

18. Asymmetrical Meters • When the pulse cannot be divided into equal groups 5/4, 5/8, 7/4, 7/8

19. Syncopation • If a part of the measure that is usually unstressed is accented

20. Dynamics • Indicate the general volume or level of intensity Sudden accent on a single note or chord Crescendo (cres.) to gradually get louder Decrescendo (decres) gradually get softer

21. Direction of Notes • If the note is above the middle line the stem goes down • If the note is below the middle line the stem goes up • When the note is in the middle the stem generally goes down except when the notes around it are opposite. • When notes are on leger lines the stems extend to the middle line

22. Beams • When a note is connected by beams the beams are slanted to cross no more than one line of the staff • When two melodies share the same staff the beams and stems go in the opposite direction • Group the beats together to make reading the music easier